To meet increasing energy needs, there is a general desire to develop environmentally friendly methods of generating electrical power. One particular area of interest involves the generation of power using tidal energy. This may be achieved by using underwater turbines.
Problems associated with known underwater turbines include the need to carefully seal generator assemblies provided as part of the turbine to prevent the ingress of water, and also maintenance difficulties. This is because the complete turbine must be recovered to allow maintenance to any turbine part. There have also been difficulties in optimising electrical power generation.
It is amongst objects of one or more embodiments of at least one aspect of the present invention to obviate or mitigate at least one of the foregoing disadvantages.
It is a further object of one or more embodiments of the present invention to provide an underwater turbine unit driven by tidal or current flow, and which can operate in ebb or flow tides without a need for movement or rotation into the tidal direction.